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Top 10 Australian activities

Unique experience: visitors to Sydney can climb the famous Harbour BridgeCredit:
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28 April 2016 • 10:29am

Looking for adventure Down Under? You’ll find plenty. Here are 10 classic Australian activities not to miss

1. Travel the Great Ocean Road

Rightly seen as one of the world’s most spectacular driving routes – and easy to reach from Melbourne – the Great Ocean Road stretches for more than 243km alongside Victoria’s bay-scalloped Southern Ocean.

High cliffs and towering offshore rock formations, including the 12 Apostles, add to the dramatic landscape. Stay at beachside villages to immerse yourself in the nature and wildlife of national parks and look out for migrating whales.

2. Go wine-tasting in the Barossa Valley

Australia isn’t lacking in first-class wine regions, and South Australia’s Barossa Valley is unquestionably one of the finest.

Sitting a short drive from Adelaide, there are some 750 grape-growing families, many sixth generation, supplying quality grapes to more than 170 wine companies of all shapes and sizes.

Grape expectations: Barossa Valley is one of the best wine regions in South AustraliaCredit:
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It’s the perfect place to enjoy some tasting, not only of the superb shiraz but also the fine local produce served in its award-winning restaurants.

You can also tour the region by motorbike, vintage car, hot-air balloon or helicopter.

3. Ride the Indian Pacific

There are two great trans-continental rail trips in Australia: The Ghan, which stretches from Adelaide up to tropical Darwin, and this, the fabled Indian Pacific, a route of more than 2,500 miles between Sydney on the east coast and Perth on the west.

On track: the Ghan is one of Australia's two great trans-continental rail tripsCredit:
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Expect sweeping outback scenery, deluxe on-board berths, delicious meals on board, and a journey time of almost three full days.

4. Have dinner in the rainforest

Less than an hour away from Cairns, the much-lauded Flames of the Forest dinner experience gives the chance to enjoy high-quality Australian food and wine in an atmospheric, candle-lit rainforest setting.

Tree-mendous: sample local cuisine in the rainforestCredit:
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The six-course tasting menus include all manner of locally sourced food, from tiger prawns to seared kangaroo loin – but the rainforest is the real star.

5. Go walkabout in the Blue Mountains

So named because of the haze from the eucalyptus trees that cloak their plunging slopes, the beautiful Blue Mountains make for an unmissable day trip from Sydney.

Blue is the colour: the Blue Mountains Walkabout offers a rich insight into the areaCredit:
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Join the Blue Mountains Walkabout, an award-winning Aboriginal experience, for a rich insight into the area’s flora, fauna and its age-old indigenous heritage.

6. Sail the Whitsundays

There are numerous ways of experiencing the boundless beauty of the Great Barrier Reef – guided dives and helicopter flights among them – but by sailing through the Whitsunday Islands you’ll see it at its most overwhelmingly scenic.

Beach life: admire the beauty of the Whitsunday IslandsCredit:
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The beaches here, blindingly white and fringed with lush greenery, are some of the most exquisite in the world.

7. Climb the Harbour Bridge

Making the ascent to the 440ft-high summit of Sydney’s Harbour Bridge has become something of a rite of passage for visitors Down Under – and for good reason.

On top of the world: enjoy sensational views over SydneyCredit:
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The panoramic views of the city are staggering on a clear day (Sydney gets plenty of those). Climbers are safely harnessed throughout and expert guides talk you through the fascinating history of the bridge.

8. Go to an Aussie Rules match

To say that Melbourne’s sport-mad residents get impassioned by Aussie Rules is an understatement.

Field of dreams: soak up the atmosphere at an Aussies Rules matchCredit:
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The Victorian capital is the undisputed heartland of the game, and by joining the weekly crowds at the MCG you’ll be in the thick of the vocal, pie-powered off-field action. The season usually runs from March to September.

9. Take in a festival in Adelaide

Regularly named as one of the best places to live on the globe, Adelaide also benefits from a world-class annual arts calendar.

Feel the love: enjoy the entertainment at the Adelaide Fringe FestivalCredit:
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Come calling in “Mad March” to witness it at its peak, when music gathering WOMADelaide takes place alongside the wildly colourful Adelaide Fringe, the largest arts festival in the southern hemisphere.

10. Catch a wave

Washed by three different oceans, the nation’s coastline gives ample evidence as to why surfing remains ingrained in the popular perception of Australia.

Board games: surfing conditions in the country cater for all abilitiesCredit:
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Beginners can arrange lessons at legendary hot spots such as Byron Bay, Bondi Beach and Surfers Paradise, while the more experienced can try their luck on the hallowed breaks of Bells Beach.